Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Ninong, Ninang, and Cousin Steven visit Atlanta

Ninong, Ninang, and Cousin Steven came to visit us in Atlanta over their Spring Break, which was also Easter weekend. We took them around town, plus they toured on their own during the girls' nap/quiet time each day. Sight-seeing certainly kept them busy and wore everyone out, but they were able to hit most of the major Atlanta area attractions.

Decatur Touch-a-Truck
When they first arrived, we went to downtown Decatur for the annual Touch-A-Truck event, where the kids were able to explore and climb in the various public-service vehicles.


Cousins on a police motercycle


Gabi tests out the backseat of a fire engine


Bella with her cousin and Ninang in the streetsweeper


The mini-streetsweeper was Ninong's favorite


Gabi posing like a backhoe


Gabi and Steven being scooped into the frontloader


Georgia Aquarium
Of course we took our visitors to our favorite place, the Georgia Aquarium.


Ninang points out a zebra shark for Steven to take a picture of


The sea lions gave a good performance for Gabi and Steven


Checking out the penguins from inside and out


Gabi tells Cousin Steven about the sharks swiming overhead in the tropical tank


Easter
As you have seen in previous posts, we had a fabulous Easter. Ninong and Ninang were also excited to find a present that completely enthralled Gabi-girl: stickerbooks!


Ninang helps Gabi place stickers in her new stickerbook
while Ninong plays with Bella and cousin Steven hides


Fernbank Museum
We saw the "In the Dark" exhibit at Fernbank and then played in the children's areas upstairs at the museum.


Gabi and cousin Steven build a city


What an interesting city the kids have created


Gabi's first catch


Bella took a nap and then was entertained by her sock


Gabi discovering camouflage


Downtown Decatur
We love to show off our city, so we ate dinner in Decatur and then took a long walk around downtown.


Oops! It seems we left the restaurant with something extra...


Walking in downtown Decatur


Our Decatur tour ended at Scott Park


A late evening spin at Scott Park before we say goodbye

Monday, April 28, 2008

Easter Eggs

I'm finally getting around to posting the rest of our pictures from Easter. (First installment here.) Cousin Steven, Ninong, and Ninang came out to visit for Easter weekend!


Gabi learning to blow bubbles (with Ninang's help)


The day before Easter was sunny and very warm


Gabi uses a crayon to make designs on her Easter egg before dyeing it.


Cousin Steven had fun dyeing his eggs too!
Gabi counts her colored eggs with Cousin Steven.


Chocolate!
A cold front on Easter Sunday required that we have the egg hunt inside.


Our other intrepid Easter egg hunter, Steven.
Steven's eggs were hidden well. Here he's been given a hint to look "up high."


Gabi finds some eggs hidden in her kitchen.


Bella shows Ninang how she can hold herself up while she stands on the chair.


Bella thinks Daddy should stop talking already.


Daddy makes a nice chair for Bella to show off her sitting.


Ooh! Toes!


Bella smiles with Cousin Steven.


Happy cousins at Easter: Bella, Steven, and Gabi


More bubble blowing fun with Cousin Steven...


...and with Ninong.
Gabi insisted on going outside to blow bubbles despite the chilly weather.


Gabi is working hard to figure out how to blow those bubbles.

Friday, April 25, 2008

St. Baldrick's Wedding

Friday evening (March 14, the weekend before St. Patrick's Day), Michael flew to Dallas to join the family. We all got a surprise:


Green-haired Mikey!


George (Michael's college roommate) drove up from Houston to spend the weekend with us, too. He brought his Wii, along with Super Smash Brothers -- a game that kept the guys up way too late Friday night/Saturday morning.


Brian must have super-smashed his brother-in-law


After the few hours Michael spent with his head on a pillow, he awoke to find his hair to be black again (and his pillow, green). We sent Grampa in search of more green hair color, but as none was to be found, we had to settle for purple.


Michael actually looks pretty good with purple hair


Then we all headed to J. Gilligan's Irish Pub for the official head shaving. Michael raised over $1200 in donations towards medical research in childhood cancer through this St. Baldrick's Day event. Congrats, Michael! Way to sacrifice your boofiness for a good cause!


At J. Gilligan's for St. Baldrick's Day


The shaving commences...


Mohawk Mikey


Michael is bald!
(And Gabi's eyes are glued to the TV.)


The support group


Bella, Aunt Lisa, and Melissa


That evening, we went to a wedding for Allison, one of Melissa's good friends since age four. The groom was a marine in Iraq, so Michael's new hairstyle actually fit in quite well.


Bella repeatedly flipped upside-down during the wedding ceremony.


David and Allison's first dance


Daddy dancing with Annabelle


Daddy dancing with Gabriella


The girls' dance


After the wedding reception, we stayed up even longer than way too late playing this new game called Arkham Horror. Very involved. Apparently based on H.P. Lovecraft, a British horror fiction short-story author. You know, geeky stuff. I had to cut out at 4 AM, but I think the game didn't end until 6 AM.


The defeat of a monster


On Sunday before our departure, we enjoyed lunch and a visit with Annabelle's godmother and her siblings (who also happened to be in town that weekend).


Annabelle and Ashley


God-daughter and God-mother share some smiles


Gabi playing chase with George and Uncle Scott
(although it was hard to know who was chasing whom)


Uncle Scott, Uncle Brian, and Bella Baby


Gabi gives Gramma Jane a goodbye hug